Suffragette Page #2

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The still of the street, bar the lone figure of a WOMAN. Her

hands fish in her pocket for a dried pea, she takes aim,

blowing through a long pea shooter at a window above. The pea

taps at the window. The WOMAN moves onto the next home,

blowing the next pea, offering up another morning call.

INT. MAUD’S BEDROOM. MAUD’S HOUSE. BETHNAL GREEN. 1912. DAWN.

The TAP of the pea against the window-

MAUD stirs, SONNY by her side.

INT. MAUD’S BEDROOM. MAUD’S HOUSE. BETHNAL GREEN. 1912. DAWN.

MAUD is dressing GEORGE WATTS [6] - he’s playful, not wanting

to get dressed.

Arms up.

MAUD:

Warm laughter as he gets tangled in the shirt.

EXT. TENEMENT. MAUD’S HOUSE. BETHNAL GREEN. 1912. DAY.

MAUD nods, ushering GEORGE towards MRS GARSTON’s front door.

MRS GARSTON:

All right, dear?

MAUD reaches in her pocket, pulling out a couple of shillings

- handing them over to MRS GARSTON [late 40s] MAUD’s ruddy

faced neighbour

MAUD:

Ta, Mrs Garston.

MAUD pulls GEORGE into an embrace, kissing his forehead.

MAUD (CONT’D)

Oh, come here. Be good.

MAUD crossing the street, passing a NEWSPAPER BOY cutting a

bundle of newspapers open, MAUD’s eyes rest on the newspaper

stand, the board reading- WANTON DAMAGE BY SUFFRAGETTES. MRS

PANKHURST GOES INTO HIDING.

INT. WASHING ROOM. LAUNDRY. BETHNAL GREEN. 1912. DAY.

The wide laundry floor. MAUD at the vats, transferring

steaming piles of sheets.

TAYLOR (O/S)

Oi Mrs Miller! Mrs Miller.

Don’t you ignore me.

MAUD’s distracted by TAYLOR reprimanding VIOLET, caught by

TAYLOR as she crosses the laundry floor.

VIOLET:

Sorry Mr Taylor.

TAYLOR:

Late again?

VIOLET:

Oh I’m barely late it’s only just

gone the hour.

TAYLOR:

Shut your mouth. You listen to me.

That’s the second time you’ve been

late and you’ve only been here

three weeks, Mrs Miller.

VIOLET:

I ain’t been late...

TAYLOR:

Don’t answer me back Mrs Miller.

I’m telling you.

VIOLET:

Sorry.

TAYLOR:

Do you want me to dismiss you, is

that it?

VIOLET:

No, no Mr Taylor. No, sir I don’t.

And I won’t be late tomorrow nor

the day after that, I swear.

TAYLOR:

Well you pull your finger out.

MAUD tenses, caught between staying silent and-

MAUD:

(calling over)

Drive belt’s loose again.

TAYLOR distracted, with obvious irritation.

TAYLOR:

(moving off)

It was checked Friday.

TAYLOR peering at the machinery by the ironing work station.

MAUD:

You can smell burning. I’d check

‘em all.

TAYLOR disgruntled, yells to a FOREMAN.

TAYLOR:

Bert! Get your toolbox. Check the

drive belt on the machine.

BERT:

Will do boss.

VIOLET’s eyes dart to MAUD, her relief palpable.

Ta.

VIOLET:

(hushed/to MAUD)

TAYLOR, disgruntled, moves on.

VIOLET (CONT’D)

(hushed/sudden)

We meet Monday and Thursday if

you’re interested. The Ellyn’s

pharmacy.

TAYLOR:

(interrupting)

Here Maud. That package get to

Buckley’s yesterday?

MAUD:

George had his chest again. Sonny

took it up for me this morning.

INT. CHANGING ROOMS. LAUNDRY. BETHNAL GREEN. 1912. DAY.

A half empty changing room, lined with hooks and benches, the

walls are peeling, the sinks chipped-

MAUD changing amongst the OTHER WOMEN. Their clothes are all

stuck to them, wet through from hours of standing in steam.

Most of the women have sores of some kind from wearing damp

clothes all day. VIOLET stands, somewhat removed, she catches

Maud’s eye and smiles, pulling on her skirt, shivering. MAUD

seeing this-

VIOLET:

(to MAGGIE)

You ready?

MAGGIE nods.

VIOLET (CONT’D)

This is my eldest, Maggie.

MAUD:

Hello Maggie.

MAGGIE MILLER[12] VIOLET’s daughter, smiles.

EXT. YARD. LAUNDRY. BETHNAL GREEN. 1912. DAY.

MAUD and VIOLET, walking towards a crowd gathering by the

gates.

ALICE (O/S)

It is men who have all legal rights

over our children. It is men who

control our economic existence.

(MORE)

ALICE (O/S) (CONT'D)

It is men who hold the deeds to our

property.

VIOLET:

Who’s that?

MRS ALICE HAUGHTON [early/mid 30s] standing addressing a

growing crowd of FEMALE LAUNDRY WORKERS by the gates.

MAUD:

MP’s wife, Mrs Haughton. She's here

at Christmas giving out tangerines

to the children.

Two CHARITABLE LADIES move amongst the departing LAUNDRY

WORKERS giving out flyers to the WOMEN that read - GIVE YOUR

TESTIMONY TO HELP GET WOMEN THE VOTE- smiling and filled with

well meaning. ALICE at the heart of the crowd, determinedly

ignoring the looks and laughter of the PASSING MALE LAUNDRY

WORKERS.

MAUD catching on this. A group of WOMEN start to gather as

ALICE talks-

ALICE:

- and the Prime Minister, Mr

Asquith, has agreed to a hearing of

testimonies of working women up and

down the country. We have an

opportunity to demonstrate that as

women are equal to men in their

labours, so they should be equal to

men in their right to vote.

MR CUMMINGS:

You’ve never laboured in your life.

DERISIVE LAUGHTER. MORE HECKLES. TAYLOR amongst the men.

SONNY nearby watching.

MAUD drawn closer, now listening, standing by VIOLET’s side.

LOUDER HECKLES NOW.

VIOLET darts a look of growing irritation-

ALICE perseveres, flanked by her CHARITABLE LADIES.

ALICE:

This is your moment to come forward

and speak up. I will choose one

person from this laundry to deliver

their testimony at the House of

Commons. These will be heard by the

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr

Lloyd George.

LAUGHTER -

MRS COLEMAN:

(calling)

No one cares, love.

VIOLET:

(calling back)

Some of us do, Mrs Coleman, so shut

your bleedin' cake hole.

MRS COLEMAN SCOWLS, affronted.

MAUD smiles, VIOLET’s spirit infectious. The crowd disperses.

ALICE and the CHARITABLE LADIES give out flyers as they pass.

ALICE:

(with a smile)

Thank you for your support. Votes

for women!

ALICE runs after MAUD and VIOLET, gently pushing one into

MAUD’s hand.

ALICE (CONT’D)

(close to)

Ladies, votes for women. The power

is in your hands.

MAUD and VIOLET moving on into the street-

ALICE (CONT’D)

Thank you ladies.

MRS COLEMAN:

Oh go home.

EXT. STREET. LAUNDRY. BETHNAL GREEN. LONDON. 1912. DAY.

ALICE and the two CHARITABLE LADIES moving out of the gates,

chatting to a few WOMEN.

MAUD, still holding the flyer, passes VIOLET greeting a rag

bag of GRUBBY KIDS. MAGGIE takes one of them by the hand.

VIOLET:

Hello kids. Give me half a mo.

VIOLET tails MAUD, the rag bag of GRUBBY KIDS close behind.

VIOLET (CONT’D)

Are you gonna give your testimony

then?

The SLICE of human traffic. Cars. Carriages.

MAUD:

(shakes head)

Mr Taylor’s a good employer.

VIOLET:

To you he is.

MAUD stops, turning on VIOLET.

MAUD:

(sharp)

Take that back.

VIOLET:

I can’t take back what I see.

MAUD:

You’ve been here less than a month.

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